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There is a plan by the Oyo State House of Assembly to pass a bill prohibiting open grazing in the state.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Abdulwasil Musa, disclosed this at the weekend while featuring on the Ibadan-based Fresh F. M. radio programme, the Southwest Political Circuit.
He said the bill has already passed the first reading and should see the light of the day within the next three weeks. He acknowledged that farmers and herdsmen enjoy cordial relationship in the state but stated that the Assembly views the passage of the bill as a means of laying the legal basis for preventing herdsmen/farmers crisis.
During the week, the Minister of Defence, Dan Alli, attributed the herdsmen crisis to the enactment of anti-open grazing laws in affected state but Hon Musa dismissed the claim, arguing that the Nigerian constitution vests the power to make laws for good governance of every state on its Assembly.
He explained that herdsmen and farmers live peaceably together because the government, security agencies and community leaders sustain an established security forum during which potential crises are discussed and resolved.